An Unexpected Trip

Chapter 21

Milana's POV:

I awoke to the sounds of horses neighing and birds chirping, the sun bright and warm on my face.

I groaned as various bones in my body cracked before I blinked open my tired eyes to find I had been  leaning forward on a horse as I had been sleeping. An extra rope  was tied around my small waist and  was expertly connected to the harness to keep me from falling off while unconscious.

A small smile was just starting to grow as I felt more relaxed than ever before, but the obvious realization dawned on me and the smile flipped into a frown.

How did I get onto horse? The last thing I remembered was the spiders attacking me and the silver-blonde haired elf who had rescued me.

Thranduil.....

I shook my head to focus back on the present, not wanting to be distracted by thinking about that cold-hearted elven king. The very king who had risked his own life to save mine.

Why, though, had he done it? 

"Would you like some water?  I have a small pouch  here for you as well, it contains some leaf bread. Quite delicious, I assure you." 

I jumped, nearly off the sleek grey mare, if it hadn't been for the rope,  at the sound and proximity of the male's voice.

Startled, I whipped my head to the side and grimaced at the sounds of neck popping for being so stiff for so long.

"W-what?" 

My mouth was incredibly parched, and my stomach gave a small growl at the mention of food, but that was not what held my current attention.

The male elf riding a beautiful vanilla-colored steed was very familiar to me. But, I couldn't quite place where I had seen him before, at the moment. His dark blue eyes, settled in an egg-shaped face with a sharp jaw, seemed to pierce right into my own wide eyes with an unsettling, scrutinizing gaze. 

But, the eyes themselves  were rather warm and friendly, unlike a certain elf I knew.

His golden skin was unblemished save for a deep indenture on his brow that seemed to be permanently etched there.

The elf wore very fine robes of deep maroon and golden orange with a dark hunter green cloak attached at the base of his neck with a green and silver  leaf brooch.

He wore a crown of beautifully crafted, metal crown of sorts that wrapped across his forehead and all the way around the back of his head, keeping his long,dark brown hair at bay.

The elf must've noticed my puzzled and awed gaze for he only gave a fleeting smile before reaching out a hand to give me a flask of water.

"You must drink if you wish to replenish your strength. You will need it to make the rest of the journey."

A little timidly, I grasped the water skin bag, and began to take small sips of the water.

But, once the first drop of water hit my tongue, I began to take greedy gulps, as if I hadn't drunk anything so heavenly in years.

There was a low chuckle from the elf riding beside me before I watched, from the left corners of my eyes, as he gently lowered the water bag from my cracked lips, and swapped it for a good-sized piece of some plain-looking bread.

"Are you feeling alright? You were very ill when we started our journey four days ago, but, you now seem like your health has risen high, and your cheeks even have some color in them. I must say, I've never seen such a quick recovery from anyone, and I've been alive for a very long time."